customer journey travel agency

• Work With Us
• Privacy Policy

The 7 Effective Travel Customer Journey Mapping Stages

Last Updated on February 26, 2024 by The Digital Travel Expert

Welcome to the realm of travel customer journey mapping, a dynamic process that transcends mere transactions to create unforgettable memories.

In a world where travel isn’t just a means to an end but an experience in itself, understanding the intricate dance between customer expectations and service delivery is paramount.

But what exactly does it entail, and why is it crucial for travel businesses across diverse niches?

Join us on an exploration as we unravel the layers of effective stages. From luxury escapades to budget-friendly adventures, we’ll delve into how businesses in various niches can craft experiences that resonate deeply with their clientele.

Embark on this journey with us as we navigate through the stages, from the initial spark of inspiration to the post-trip reflections, discovering the pivotal touchpoints that define memorable travel experiences.

Whether you’re a seasoned traveler seeking new insights or a business owner aiming to enhance customer satisfaction, this exploration promises to provoke thought and inspire innovation.

Buckle up as we embark on a voyage through the realms of customer journey stages, where every stage holds the potential to transform a simple trip into an extraordinary odyssey.

Table of Contents

1. Understanding customer journey map in the travel and hospitality Industry

The travel journey map refers to the process that customers go through while thinking about, planning, and experiencing a trip. It involves several stages, starting with the initial inspiration and research phase, followed by the booking and preparation stage, and finally culminating in the actual travel experience and post-trip reflections.

Understanding the stages of the customer journey in the travel industry helps businesses understand the touchpoints and emotions that customers encounter at each stage. It enables them to provide personalized and memorable experiences that meet the customers’ needs and expectations . Understanding client journey mapping will also allow your travel business to identify potential pain points and areas for improvement to enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Importance of understanding unique specificities

The importance of identifying unique needs and challenges as the first step in journey mapping will make a difference. This brings back the need for tour companies or hotels to focus on a travel niche that aligns with their expertise and resources. If you are going for a luxury travel niche , it makes sense to have a clue as to what an affluent tourist will need to have a memorable and exclusive experience.

With the unique needs and expectations of customers at each touchpoint, your luxury travel businesses will tailor offerings and communications for a seamless and delightful experience. The travel industry is different from other online businesses in that it involves an online experience but most importantly, the human touch.  

– Overview of journey mapping structure in the travel industry

This article will again discuss in depth the unique needs and expectations of tourists and how travel businesses can cater to them. It will then highlight the importance of tailoring offerings and communications for a seamless and delightful experience. Next, it will emphasize the customer journey analysis in the travel industry, starting with the online experience but ultimately leveraging the human touch. Finally, the article will conclude by emphasizing the significance of this distinction in the online business landscape. Let’s explore the pre-travel stage now. 

2. Discovery Stage of the Traveler Journey Mapping

During the discovery stage, potential travelers are seeking inspiration and information about their next destination, not necessarily knowing which one . Probably the client read a book about a certain country, studied history at school, or saw a sports athlete from a specific country perform exceptionally well. There are reasons why people choose certain travel destinations over others, and these reasons can vary greatly from person to person.  Some may be drawn to the natural beauty and landscapes of a certain country shown on TV or in travel magazines. Others may be interested in the rich history and cultural heritage that a destination has to offer.

For instance, some avid adventurers who enjoy adrenaline-inducing activities in the USA may have an idea about similar activities in other countries. Similarly, those who appreciate the arts and architecture in one city may be curious about experiencing them in different parts of the world. In a few words, the inspiration stage is an important piece of stages of the client journey.

3. Pre-travel Stage

– Inspiration and research

People travel for different reasons. Whatever reasons and needs lead travelers to think about planning a trip, tourism businesses must understand the challenges their target audience goes through. During the pre-travel stage, tourists seek inspiration and conduct extensive research to plan their trips. They explore various online platforms, such as travel websites, social media influencers , and review sites, to gather information about destinations, accommodations, activities, and local experiences. 

To capture your clients’ attention and stand out from the competition, your travel business must create compelling travel content that sparks curiosity and provides valuable insights.  It’s not enough to draw attention, but being able to deliver on the concrete needs of your target audience will help your tour company or hotel thrive in the long term. Running a travel business is like running a long-term relationship with people. 

– Digital platforms and social media as primary sources of information.

Travelers no longer rely on print magazines as their only source of information. Digital marketing and communication have revolutionized the way travel businesses, destinations, and travelers connect. However, the digital sphere has a lot of options and can be overwhelming to navigate. From social media to influencer marketing and travel SEO strategy , endless digital marketing strategies exist to explore and implement.

Your travel business needs to leverage platforms and strategies that align with your target audience and business goals and, most importantly, where you can meet your target market. Finding the right sphere where your clients hang out is the key to client journey mapping. Whatever marketing channel you choose, make sure your communications address their problems and challenges.  

– Influence of reviews and ratings

You know how reviews influence your purchasing decision before buying a product from Amazon or any e-commerce website. The travel industry isn’t different. So, your tour company reviews play a significant role in convincing potential customers about your travel business services . Positive travel reviews and high ratings on platforms such as TripAdvisor tend to boost confidence in customers and increase the likelihood of them choosing your tour company for their travel needs.

However, the way you respond to negative reviews and handle customer complaints can also greatly impact your reputation and potential for future business success . So, in their journey to finding the right tour company, your response and resolution to any negative feedback will play a crucial role. 

Regardless of what reviews and ratings say about your travel company, they are an integral part of the journey. 

– Role of travel businesses

In most cases, your travel business has the power to make the online experience seamless. The role of travel businesses goes beyond just providing services and packages to customers. You need to educate, inform, and assist tourists from the online to the field experience. To do this effectively, tourism businesses( usually travel agencies and hotels) must leverage technology that streamlines not only the booking process but also enhances communication and provides personalized recommendations.

In tourism, there is such a thing as pre-tour customer satisfaction or experience. Digital transformation and human skills go hand in hand for a seamless and enjoyable journey for travelers.

– Planning and booking

This is a crucial stage for both travelers and the tour businesses involved. On the one hand, the tourist goes through stages of gauging if the travel company they find is the right one. On the other hand, the travel company needs to ensure that they provide a seamless and satisfactory customer experience to pass the vetting process. Let’s explore them one by one. 

– Comparison of different travel options

When you want to book a hotel room in a destination, you will need to compare hotel rates. The same applies to your customers. Your excellent online customer experience is not convincing enough for travelers to book with your tour company.  Your pricing strategy needs to take your target audience into consideration . Your clients will email two or three travel companies to make an informed decision and choose the most suitable one for their needs and budget. Your client journey mapping is also defined by your pricing strategy. 

– Consideration of budget and preferences

Budget is not the only deciding factor. Other factors should be taken into account. The travel packages should be designed in a way that meets your target market’s budget and preferences while also aligning with your pricing strategy. The overall customer experience, tour offerings, and complementary services are also important considerations.

– Importance of clear and transparent booking processes

Travelers hate unexpected costs the same way you do when shopping online. They want to know exactly what they’re paying for and not be hit with hidden fees or charges. This should be clearly stated in your offerings on your website; otherwise, a lack of clear information can disrupt the search prematurely. 

– Preparing for the trip

So far, so good; the client has booked the trip with you and is excited about it. The journey hasn’t stopped. Is there any extra information about the trip that the client needs to know, or is everything clear and ready? Whether it is an update about your destination or an event happening during their travel period, the client will be happy to receive this information.

– Gathering necessary travel documents

Is the visa available on arrival, or should it be applied for before their trip? Supplying all required information about vaccinations, visas, and any other necessary travel documents will prove your professionalism. And you want to be known as such.

– Packing and organizing essentials

Just imagine the expectations or fears you had when you traveled abroad for the first time. Traveling overseas can be overwhelming, but with thorough preparation, it can be an unforgettable experience. Nobody wants to carry unnecessary clothes that won’t be worn. 

– Managing expectations and setting goals

On the traveler’s side, before embarking on the booking trip, the client will take some time to manage their expectations and set realistic goals. Even though they understand that not everything may go as planned, they will keep a positive mindset, and being adaptable will make the experience more enjoyable. As a tour service provider, being in the shoes of the traveler will allow you to better understand their needs and provide a more personalized and satisfying experience.

You will be more prepared to help them achieve their goals. Whether it’s learning a new language, immersing oneself in the local culture, or simply creating lasting memories, you have the power to enhance a traveler’s experience. 

4. Travel Stage

– Departure and transportation

If your tour package includes assistance with booking flights and airport transfers, you must provide detailed information about transportation options at the destination. Clear communication alleviates any stress or confusion your clients may have once they land. Picking up your clients from the airport on time is the first impression of the actual tour. It sets the tone for the rest of the tour. A quick briefing about the activities of the following day is something that should be observed at all times. 

– Logistics and coordination of travel arrangements

The best travel management will ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for your clients. This means comfortable transportation to and from airports, hotels, and various tour destinations. This is a crucial moment. If you carefully manage the required logistics, you will minimize any potential delays or inconveniences that may arise during the trip. Again, if things don’t go according to plan, make sure you have a plan B already set. Having a backup plan can help avoid major disruptions and keep everything on track. Remember, the traveler has built his goals based on the detailed itinerary. Your travel business should always strive to deliver on its promises and be flexible and adaptable in case any unexpected changes occur. 

– Airport procedures and security checks

Airport procedures are usually the same, but not always. It is important to provide enough information about any special requirements when entering or exiting the destination. Are there any airport taxes, fees, or additional charges that need to be paid? If well prepared, the traveler can better manage their time and avoid unnecessary stress. 

-Modes of transportation and their unique experiences

Remember, the itinerary submitted to the traveler is a highlight of the main sites or activities they will do. A well-versed tour service provider will be able to improvise and suggest additional sites or activities based on the traveler’s preferences and interests. This comes from the communication between the traveler and the guide. Those unique experiences usually make the most of their time and create unforgettable memories. They can be anything from exploring hidden gems in the city to participating in local cultural events. Those small details will make a difference and add depth and meaning to their overall travel experience.

– Accommodation specificities

The choice of the accommodation facility is important for the tour experience. The travel company should be able to choose or at least recommend hotels or even unique accommodations like eco-lodges or homestays that align with the traveler’s preferences and budget. The quality of the accommodation and meals plays an important role in ensuring a satisfying and memorable travel experience . 

– Choosing the right type of accommodation

The right accommodation doesn’t mean the most popular hotel in the city. There is no conventional best accommodation. Great accommodation means finding a place that suits the traveler’s needs and preferences, whether that be a cozy bed and breakfast or a luxury resort. The accommodation should provide comfort, convenience, and a sense of relaxation for the traveler to truly enjoy their trip. 

– Checking-in and room selection

In the same way that some travelers prefer aisle seats when flying, some clients will need a room facing the beach. Hotels often offer various room options and amenities. If you happen to have a client with a specific preference for a room, just inform the hotel in advance so they can accommodate their request. Small details like this can make a big difference in the overall experience. Going the extra mile for your clients is not cheap. 

– Amenities and services provided by the accommodation

Tourists don’t only focus on the quality of the room and meals when rating a hotel. From luxurious spas and gyms to complimentary breakfast and concierge services, these offerings can elevate their stay and leave a lasting impression. They also consider the overall ambiance, cleanliness, and customer service. Your role as a travel company is to partner with hotels and lodges that won’t compromise the quality of your client’s tour experiences. 

– Experiencing the destination

Travelers choose a destination for different reasons. Whether it is an adventure of a lifetime, a cultural experience, or simply relaxation, the goal is always to create memories that will leave a lasting impression. Help your guests go and explore the world, embrace new experiences, and make unforgettable memories. The possibilities are endless when it comes to creating lasting impressions and unforgettable memories.

– Engaging in local culture and traditions

This is a key to gaining a deeper understanding of the place they are visiting. From trying traditional cuisine to participating in local festivals and rituals, these experiences provide a unique insight into the customs and way of life of the destination. Engaging in local culture and traditions not only enriches the travel experience but also fosters connections with the local community, creating meaningful interactions that will be cherished for years to come. That’s where the tour guide’s expertise comes in handy.

5. Online Reviews and Recommendations 

It has become a culture for travelers to review tourist attractions and tour companies they have traveled with.  Reviews and recommendations from satisfied clients greatly impact the reputation of your company. Whether they are happy with your services or not, your clients will likely share their experiences on third-party travel platforms like TripAdvisor and others. You shouldn’t sit and watch. A week or so after the tour, email your clients and ask them if you can write a review about their travel experience.

Don’t be shy about telling them how it helps your business. While not all satisfied clients will write a review, at least they will know you value them and appreciate their feedback.

6. Offline recommendations: word of mouth

If your company has amazed them, travelers will tell their families and friends where they have been and about the great tour company that treated them well. It is so easy to share a story or a recommendation with others, especially when they have had such a positive experience. The story isn’t only about the destination but everything that goes with it—people, food, weather,…

There are travel clubs where tourists who share a common interest in exploring new places can connect and exchange their experiences, tips, and advice. It could be a club for luxury travelers, hiking, wildlife adventure, and heritage travel. Whatever club your clients belong to, make sure they have a positive experience. Your great (or poor) customer experience will be communicated to fellow travelers. 

7. Loyalty stage: booking again with your travel company

-Repeat travelers 

If you offer services that your clients can book more than once, the happy ones will come back to you for future trips and recommend your company to others. Your travel company must earn their loyalty by providing exceptional experiences and top-notch customer service. Travelers who come back to you will usually value the trust, personalized attention, and seamless planning process that your company offers. Although the journey for a loyal traveler isn’t the same as a first-time one, you should never compromise on service quality.

In the same way you pay attention to small details for new travelers, you should do the same for loyal ones too. If you have a chance of going further, do it. Are there any discounts, special offers, loyalty cards, or rewards your company can provide? Build a loyalty culture for those repeat clients. 

-Referral programs

If you are more serious and ambitious about your travel business, you should understand a referral program as part of the stages.  While some travelers will recommend your services to friends and colleagues without any compensation in return, it will make more sense for most travelers if they can get a reward for their referrals. It could be an Amazon voucher or a commission on bookings made through their referrals. Referral is a practice you will always find in an e-commerce customer journey.

The referral program works well with travel bloggers and influencers . It is a great way to incentivize loyal customers to refer your services to their friends and family. When you offer discounts or rewards for successful referrals, you not only encourage repeat business but also expand your customer base through word-of-mouth marketing. 

What is Customer journey mapping?

Customer journey mapping is a strategic tool used to understand and visualize the entire experience a customer goes through when interacting with a brand or product. It helps businesses identify pain points, opportunities for improvement, and areas where they can enhance customer satisfaction. You can find a free customer journey map template but you should always personalize it.

Example of customer journey map

One example of a customer journey map in the travel industry is the Out-of-market Stage, where potential travelers become aware of different destinations and start dreaming about their next vacation. During the Awareness Stage, they begin researching and gathering information about various travel options. In the Consideration Stage, they narrow down their choices and compare prices, itineraries, and reviews. The Intent Stage is when they make a decision and start planning their trip in detail. The Purchase Stage is when they book their flights and accommodations.

How to create a customer journey map

The first step involves understanding your target audience and their pain points to find a solution to their travel needs.

What are some common challenges faced during journey mapping and how can they be overcome?

Some common challenges faced during journey mapping include limited access to customer data, difficulty in identifying all touchpoints, and resistance from stakeholders. These challenges can be overcome by conducting thorough research to gather customer data, using techniques like customer interviews and surveys. Additionally, involving stakeholders early on in the process and addressing their concerns can help mitigate resistance and ensure their buy-in

What tools or resources can assist me in conducting effective journey mapping? 

There are several tools and resources available to assist you in conducting effective journey mapping. Some popular options include customer journey mapping software, such as UXPressia or Smaply, which provide templates and visualization tools to help you map out the traveler’s journey. Additionally, conducting customer surveys, and interviews, and analyzing customer feedback can provide valuable insights for journey mapping. It is also helpful to consult industry research and case studies to gain a deeper understanding of best practices and successful strategies in journey mapping. 

How can journey mapping benefit my business?

Journey mapping can benefit your business in several ways. Firstly, it helps you gain a deeper understanding of your customers’ experiences and emotions throughout their journey with your company. This allows you to identify pain points and areas for improvement, leading to enhanced customer satisfaction and loyalty. Additionally, journey mapping helps you align your business processes and strategies with the customer’s needs, resulting in more effective and targeted marketing campaigns . Ultimately, journey mapping can lead to increased customer retention and business growth.

What are the frequent challenges to travel journey mapping?

They include accurately capturing all the details and experiences of the trip, as well as organizing and presenting them in a visually appealing and informative way. Additionally, incorporating subjective elements such as emotions and personal reflections can be challenging, as they may vary from person to person. 

What makes travel company or hotel journey mapping effective?

Travel company or hotel journey mapping is effective because it provides a comprehensive understanding of the customer’s experience throughout their entire travel journey. It helps identify pain points, areas of improvement, and opportunities for delivering exceptional customer service.

Customer journey maps for travel agencies

It includes several stages. First, the customer becomes aware of the travel agency through various marketing channels, such as advertisements or word-of-mouth recommendations. Next, they research different travel options and destinations offered by the agency. They may also compare prices and read reviews to make an informed decision. Once they have chosen a travel package, they book their trip through the agency and receive confirmation of their reservation. During the trip, the customer may encounter any issues or challenges that need to be resolved by contacting the agency’s customer service. 

Wrapping up

The common understanding of the travel customer journey involves the initial inspiration and research phases, where customers may seek inspiration from various sources such as friends, family, or online platforms. Once a destination is chosen, customers move on to the planning and booking phase, where they search for the best deals and accommodations that match their travel preferences. 

Despite the many customer journey mapping tools, travel companies need to understand their clients to provide a personalized and tailored travel experience. During the trip, customers experience the actual travel phase, which includes transportation, accommodation, and activities. Whatever customer journey map templates you use, remember that tourism is about a personal journey and creating lasting memories for individuals, always keeping in mind the unique experiences and preferences of each traveler. In a few words, customer journey map examples will give you inspiration on how you can build yours according to your travel niche. 

Keep in mind these seven stages: Out-of-market Stage, Awareness Stage, Consideration Stage, Intent Stage, Purchase Stage, Post-Purchase Stage, and Advocacy Stage. These seven stages are essential for creating a successful travel niche.

Additional resources of templates

Recommended For You!

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Re-drawing the map​

• Evelyn Zhang

Senior Manager Product Proposition-OTA & Meta, Travelport

• November 6, 2020
• Agencies , Recovery

Share article

• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share via Email

How has the traveler journey changed from pre-COVID-19 to where we are today — and what does this mean for online travel agencies? Here I’m outlining some of the key differences that are emerging.

Understanding the traveler journey

Regardless of the climate for travel, there are typically six stages to any traveler journey: inspiration, shopping, booking, pre-trip, in-trip, and post-trip. At every step, travelers will engage with travel brands for a range of services, and experience hundreds of touchpoints, on a variety of devices. For example, a typical (pre-pandemic) accommodation-purchase journey has 45 touchpoints alone — and that’s just looking for somewhere to stay!

Read more about Travelport’s Hotel Stay Safe Feature here.

Online travel agencies (OTAs) can influence travelers’ experiences and become invaluable travel partners to customers at every step of the journey. This goes far beyond simply converting lookers to bookers — this is a chance to open up new revenue streams at multiple touchpoints.

By taking a full view of the traveler journey and creating your own journey map, you will see immense potential to grow conversions at every step. And the term ‘conversions’ doesn’t just mean bookings; there are specific goals your OTA can achieve at each stage of the journey, for example: converting page views to trip searches, searches to bookings, bookings to ancillary attachments, and so on.

What’s changed?

First, let’s take a look at this sample leisure traveler journey pre-COVID-19.

Now, let’s compare that to the customer journey in the era of COVID-19.

By comparing these two charts,  we can see a number of changes taking place across each stage:

Inspiration  Travelers are now naturally much more concerned with knowing what safety measures will be in place across all touchpoints of their journey. This means that while Inspiration is still an important stage of their journey, in the near- to mid-term we can expect assurance to be a deciding emotional factor as well.

Shopping  Key traveler concerns, such as getting the best deal and making the most of their break, haven’t gone away. But there are new ones on the list; from ‘how safe will I be?’, to ‘can I get my money back if I have to cancel?’. We know from our recent research that this is an extremely influential factor in decision-making.

Booking  The travel environment remains highly volatile, with lockdowns, quarantines and cancellations happening at a moment’s notice. As a result, customers are more concerned now about how insulated they are from financial loss, putting a renewed focus on booking flexibility and insurance validity.

Pre-trip  As COVID-19 lockdowns fluctuate, travelers are closely monitoring the situation in destinations. This is creating more demand for pre-trip guidance and information on insurance. Customers will feel reassured at this stage by flexibility and generous cancellation/refund policies, while agencies are likely to experience a significant increase in itinerary adjustments than in the past.

In-trip  There is still a wealth of decisions to make in-trip, including taking tours, booking restaurants or experiences, shopping, onward travel, and more. What has changed is that there is more demand from travelers for information while at their destination, i.e. on local regulations and restrictions.

Post-trip  With the pool of potential travelers smaller than it usually is, OTAs will need to use every tool at their disposal to develop a loyal brand following and increase purchase frequency. Valuable sources of information are customer feedback and reviews, so they can better understand their preferences and tailor future deals accordingly.

Helping your business recover

You can find a range of support and information on COVID-19 and recovery on our  resource hub.

How to Use the Travel Customer Journey to Drive More Loyalty and Bookings

Chintan Goswami

The travel buying journey starts well before booking

In the dynamic realm of the travel industry, fostering strong brand loyalty is paramount for sustained success. To achieve this, it’s crucial to delve into the intricate journey that a customer goes through, understanding their behaviour and expectations at each stage. 

The primary focus for travel agents and tour operators has traditionally been on the booking stage of the travel lifecycle. After all, bookings drive revenue, making it a logical priority. 

However, what many travel providers overlook is that booking is just one piece of the intricate travel puzzle. The journey of a leisure traveller begins long before the final booking—it starts with inspiration or dreaming. 

Consider this: before an average leisure traveller finalizes a booking, they invest several weeks, and sometimes months, in planning the trip. From determining the budget to choosing a destination, figuring out transportation, selecting accommodations, planning activities, and more, the journey is extensive. 

During this period, travellers conduct countless Google searches, visit numerous websites, read a plethora of blogs and user reviews, and watch countless YouTube videos. It’s a meticulous exploration that culminates in the decisive click on the “book now” button and the input of credit card details.

However, the journey doesn’t conclude with the booking. Post-booking efforts are crucial to ensure a smooth trip, an aspect where travellers often feel a lack of support from travel providers.

Being a traveller today is no easy feat. With so many options available, decision-making becomes a complex task, and the fear of regret looms large.

Moreover, expecting potential customers to land on your website and instantly make a booking is unrealistic. The buying process is a complex journey, and travel providers must be present for consumers at every stage, building confidence and earning their business.

So, let’s take a closer look at the typical stages of the Travel Buyer’s Journey and explore how travel agents and tour operators can actively engage customers throughout this transformative process.

Stages of the travel customer journey and how you can engage customers are every stage

1) Inspiration: Igniting the Dream

The journey commences with a dream, a spark of wanderlust in the traveller’s heart. This is the “Dreaming” phase, where individuals yearn for new horizons and exciting adventures. As travel agents and tour operators, your mission is to ignite inspiration through captivating visuals, compelling stories, and awe-inspiring content.

Create visually stunning and immersive social media campaigns showcasing unique destinations, exclusive experiences, and testimonials from satisfied travellers. Engage in content partnerships with influencers who align with the target audience to amplify the allure of your offerings.

2) Planning: Guiding the Way

Once the seed of inspiration is planted, travelers move into the planning phase. They’ve chosen a destination and are eager to craft their perfect adventure. As a travel agent or tour operator, your role is to become their trusted guide.

Uncover hidden gems, publish detailed itineraries and recommendations, suggest off-the-beaten-path attractions and experiences, provide budgetary guidance. By actively assisting and enriching the planning experience, you can solidify your position as an indispensable part of the traveller’s journey.

3) Booking: Turning Dreams into Reality

The planning stage seamlessly transitions into booking, where dreams evolve into practical decisions. Travellers are now ready to commit to their journey. Ensuring a seamless booking process is paramount.

Implement a user-friendly and secure online booking platform. Offer exclusive deals and use urgency messages to create FOMO. If you are a tour operator, you can provide exclusive perks for direct bookings, such as lower package rates, room upgrades, complimentary excursions, or flexible cancellation policies. Leverage personalized email and WhatsApp campaigns to drive conversions. Employ retargeting strategies through social media ads to gently encourage travellers to complete their bookings. 

Also consider including video testimonials during the checkout process for social proof and trust. This stage is not just about facilitating transactions; it’s about creating an experience that reinforces the traveller’s confidence in their decision.

4) Experiencing: Immersing in the Adventure

As travellers embark on their journey, they enter the experiencing phase. Here, the focus is on creating pre-experience excitement with engaging content, interactive maps, guides, and cultural insights. Travel brands have the opportunity to connect travellers with the local culture, encouraging them to capture and share memorable moments throughout their voyage. 

Develop an immersive pre-travel kit for clients, including health and safety guidelines, packing tips, a curated list of recommendations for restaurants, shopping, and in-depth cultural guides. Foster a sense of community among travellers by organizing virtual meet-and-greet sessions or forums where they can share expectations and tips before departure.

5) Post-Trip Sharing: Keeping the Story Alive

Contrary to popular belief, the journey doesn’t end when travellers return home. They transition into storytellers, sharing their adventures with the world. Travel agents and tour operators can play an active role in fostering engagement even after the trip concludes.

Promote a dedicated post-trip community group/platform where travellers can share photos, exchange stories, and stay connected. Create branded hashtags for social media sharing and run post-trip contests or features to highlight the most inspiring travel stories. Send personalized thank-you notes along with exclusive discounts for future bookings as a gesture of appreciation.

By becoming a part of the traveller’s post-trip narrative, your brand can extend your impact and perpetuate the relationship beyond the immediate travel experience.

As a travel agent or tour operator, you hold the compass to guide travellers through this incredible journey. Understanding each stage of the Travel Customer Journey and actively engaging travellers at every step is the key to creating lasting connections. By doing so, you position yourself not just as a service provider but as a companion on their journey. 

• Craft Compelling Content: Invest in visuals, stories, and content that inspire and resonate with the traveller’s dreams.
• Personalize Guidance: Provide personalized recommendations and itineraries based on individual preferences and interests.
• Streamline Booking Processes: Ensure a seamless and transparent booking process, offering direct booking benefits.
• Enhance Experiences: Create engaging pre-travel content, interactive maps, and cultural insights to enrich the travel experience.
• Foster Post-Trip Engagement: Encourage travellers to share their stories on social media, create a post-trip community, and offer exclusive incentives for future bookings.

The Travel Customer Journey is a dynamic and multifaceted process that extends far beyond the act of booking. By understanding this journey and actively participating in each stage, you can not only create memorable experiences but also position your brand as the go-to choice for travellers seeking personalized and enriching adventures. This way, when they are ready to book, you are among their top choices. 

With over 10 years of experience in marketing and a strong passion for travel, Chintan Goswami is the driving force behind Allura Travel Marketing.

Recent Posts

Case Study – How a UK-based Cruise Agency experienced a 500% ROI with Meta Ads

Decoding Gen Z: Insights and Strategies for Modern Travel Brands

How to sell more tours using the power of storytelling

Case Study: How we Developed a Digital Marketing Strategy for a large OTA

Biggest Travel Branding Mistakes You Should Avoid

Related posts.

• Customer journey maps
• AI Personas
• Impact maps
• Request a demo
• Human Resources
• Pricing plans
• Affiliate Program
• UXPressia vs. Excel
• Case studies
• UXPressia Academy
• Cheat cards
• Platform overview

Travel & tourism customer journey map & personas templates

• Request a platform demo with UXPressia's team
• [Free whitepaper] Impact mapping guide
• [Blog article] How to get stakeholders on board with your journey mapping initiative
• [Blog article] How to define customer journey stages
• [Blog article] Empathy Map Builder + Empathy Map Template
• [YouTube video] Service Blueprint: Many Birds with One Stone by Martina Mitz
• [YouTube video] The Truth Behind Personas — Nick Efimov
• [Blog article] Journey mapping in the travel industry by a marketer
• [Blog article] Touchpoints and channels in customer journey mapping
• Personas (9)

What Are the 5 Stages of the Travel Consumer Journey?

August 12, 2020.

Each vacation takes you somewhere exciting, but they all start in the same place: at home! From sitting on the couch planning a dream getaway to exploring the destination to reliving each moment on the trip back home, each stage of the travel consumer journey has an important role to play. The right marketing strategy recognizes these stages and turns dreamers into paying customers. 

If you want to learn more about how to use the travel purchase funnel as an actionable strategy for your bed and breakfast, hotel, or vacation rental company, follow our guidelines below. If you’d like additional information, don’t hesitate to reach out to a member of our team . The digital-marketing experts here at Q4Launch are always available to help!

Get in Touch!

A Guide to the Travel Consumer Journey

Mapping the consumer journey is a critical step in designing a thoughtful marketing plan that drives traffic and bookings. Before you can drive business, you have to understand what it takes to target consumers at each phase of the travel experience. Let’s dive into the five stages of the travel consumer journey.

1. DREAMING

Whether a traveler is considering a well-deserved foray into the mountains, a relaxing retreat to the beach, or a thrilling trip into the heart of their favorite city, it all starts with a dream. Before any technical planning begins, the traveler is already thinking about where their next vacation might be! Influence and inspiration can strike at any moment and come from anywhere. That’s why getting your brand in front of your target audience is key. 

Here are a few ways that you should be targeting consumers in the “dreaming” stage of the consumer travel journey:

• Promote your brand on social media
• Showcase artful and inspiring photographs
• Write compelling SEO-optimized copy .

While these three practices seem easy to accomplish on the surface, implementing a strategy for your urban hotel , lodge , vacation rental company , or bed and breakfast is often much different in practice. Q4Launch is here to help! 

2. PLANNING

Many travelers remain in the dreaming phase for quite some time, while others may emerge from the initial stage in the travel consumer journey and set themselves on the path to purchase rather quickly. Either way, the “planning” portion of the journey must be completed. Your oh-so-important role in this phase is to be part of your future guest’s travel “micro moments.”

Travelers decide where to stay based on what will maximize their experience at their chosen destination. Many will fall back on Google Travel or generic attraction-based platforms while searching for their best options. With so many large corporations seemingly owning the travel space, it may appear impossible for your brand to become recognized online. However, this way of thinking will only hinder your impact in the travel space! 

These convenient options offer a glimpse into a traveler’s thought process and provide insight you need to become a stepping stone for travelers that are planning their getaway. As locals, you occupy a completely unique space in the travel industry. This will be the key to success for your brand as you implement the following strategies:

• Using content that includes long-tail keywords 
• Curating someone’s experience in the form of an interactive lead generation tool
• Allowing someone to dream and plan simultaneously through engaging website content
• Offering the type of accommodation your target demographic desires
• Investing in pay-per-click advertisements
• Assisting an indecisive traveler with a quiz-style questionnaire
• Having a visually appealing website for your vacation rental company , boutique hotel , or B&B .

All of these elements embody the same fundamental value: convenience. When the copy on a website has adequately provided the “best answer” for search engines, it satisfies the algorithm and becomes a result on the first page. Thus, providing a two-fold strategy for success implies to the user that you are, in fact, the best overall answer. After all, if you aren’t listed on Page 1 of Google, is your business reaching the heights that it can (and should)?

For Bed and Breakfasts

• Clearly display prices
• Use buttons to advertise/encourage bookings
• Use an intuitive reservation software such as ThinkReservations or ResNexus
• Add any discounts, coupon codes, and add-ons into your system
• Send a confirmation email to each guest.

For Vacation Rental Companies

It’s imperative to exercise transparency when it comes to pricing, amenities, guest experiences, and confirmation emails. These requirements are similar to those of bed and breakfasts, but one vital difference between the two has to do with booking directly. While booking engines work well for B&Bs and inns, there has been an ongoing debate about this for vacation rental companies. Online travel agencies and their ability to advertise the lowest price guarantee have complicated matters, but there are ways to avoid these giants. Since affordability and convenience appeal to travelers, OTAs often hide additional fees. The best way for your vacation rental business to capitalize on this market is to advertise just that on your site. Use phrasing like:

• “Book direct for the lowest price”
• “Lowest price guaranteed when booking directly”
• “Best rate when booking direct.”

Many of our Q4Launch customers — bed and breakfasts, boutique hotels, inns, and vacation rentals — have consistently seen an increase in transactions and total online revenue from using this messaging. We believe that you can, too!

4. EXPERIENCING

• Curated itineraries
• A travel guide full of your local recommendations.

This stage is the time when you may positively influence someone’s time in your area. It’s important that your property is top-of-mind for current, future, and repeat guests! After all, you want to be known as the expert on the area, not search engines or cookie-cutter online databases.

What Comes of a Guest’s Positive Experience with You?

• A positive reputation on Google, TripAdvisor, and Facebook (and other review platforms)
• Happy guests promote your brand and become an engaged follower on social media
• They may also become a return guest in the future, which guarantees revenue.

5. REMEMBERING

What you’ve provided to guests and how they experience your area will directly impact the way a guest remembers their time. Capturing guest reviews from those who have had an overwhelmingly positive experience is key to maintaining both a 5-star presence online and a successful business. 

Additionally, their positive time on the property and with your business influences their next getaway! However, it’s imperative you create some form of re-engagement to further keep them involved in your brand.

How to Help Guests Remember You

• Implement an effective email marketing strategy that contains both the template and the copy
• Set up guest lifestyle campaigns in your marketing efforts
• Try to obtain as many 5-star reviews as you can
• Use creative, strategic thinking when crafting Facebook posts and your presence on social media.

Trust Q4Launch: Your Travel Destination Experts

Now that you know what it takes to follow vacationers along the travel consumer journey, it’s time to put what you’ve learned into practice — which is often easier said than done. Managing your hotel and your marketing strategy at the same time can feel like a balancing act. One misstep and it can all come crashing down. 

Luckily, Q4Launch has a team of expert digital-marketing strategists, designers, website developers, and professional copywriters that are trained to design and execute marketing campaigns that inspire your audience and drive ROI for your business. 

Don’t take our word for it, though. Read some of our customer success stories to get a better sense of how we create campaigns that delight customers and get results for your brand. If you’re looking to increase your average revenue per guest as quickly as possible, Q4Launch’s brand new product on our Future Proof ® platform is designed to do just that. Drive revenue, get more 5-star reviews, and generate more rebookings with our Guest LifeCycle Automation . 

Get More Bookings Now!

Master The Travel Customer Journey

Table of content

Want to know every step of the travel customer journey? Then you’re in the right place! Travel agencies and tour operators need the travel consumer journey map to learn more about their consumers and provide an unforgettable experience for them. In addition, it’s a tool that can provide valuable insights into your future strategy.

But first, let’s see what a customer journey map is:

What is a customer journey map?

The customer journey map represents your consumer’s experience of not knowing you to become a lifelong loyal customer. Each stage has different needs. Mastering each one of these stages is essential if you want to make a sale. With the travel customer journey map, you can improve the customer’s experience.

Importance of the customer journey

The travel customer journey map can help you understand how consumers go through the sales funnel. As a result, it is easier to identify which actions would improve their overall experience. Nowadays, we live in the era of personalization. What does that mean? It means that your customers demand special attention and care, so if you want to increase your bookings, you need to learn how to provide this experience. For example, if a user is in the early stages of their journey, ask them to sign up for a newsletter. Please don’t force them to buy your product! Rushing through the process will probably make them leave. Creating the map and walking in the shoes of your customer will make everything easier.

How and why to research the travel customer journey

Now, let’s see how you can create a customer journey map. Entering inside the mind of the modern human is no easy task. That’s why you need a plan. However, there is no such thing as one size fits all. Why? Because different companies are targeting other groups of people. As a result, you have to understand who your potential customers are, how they behave, and where they are primarily present. After that, you can communicate your message efficiently.

Step by step customer journey

It’s time to gather some data with analytics about your website. A word of caution: the results are not always telling the truth, so don’t assume that many clicks or long dwell times are a good sign! They could indicate that a customer is frustrated.

In the beginning, a potential customer starts dreaming about the destination or experiencing your tours and activities. The individual in this phase is a stranger: not knowing anything about your service, they probably don’t even know it exists. Your goal is to generate human-level connection and interest to the essence of your service (values, mission, purpose, people). What you should do: get them to notice you as they look for inspiration! Your marketing approach: content Marketing through blogs and other forms of content promoted in your social media channels. All you want at this point is to grab their attention. If you don’t grab their attention, someone else’s campaign will.

Researching

At this stage, the customer becomes aware of your company while researching tours and activities in your destination. In addition, they are comparing your offers with others from the most popular sites like Booking.com and TripAdvisor. Your marketing approach: You want to lead them further into the sales cycle. An excellent way to achieve that is by using the surprise & delight formula: give them something they don’t expect and ask for their email in exchange for the content. So here are some content ideas: “How-to” guides for their trip, previous experiences of happy customers, inspiring photos, local tips, videos of your tours and activities, etc.

The customer preferred your company. Well done! You successfully managed to convert a prospective customer. But the journey is not over yet!

You have to make them feel like joining a tribe. Keep customers engaged with emails and other documents that help them enjoy their vacations with peace. Email confirmation is essential after booking. Let them know that they are safe with your customer support.

Post-Travel (Sharing)

You provided excellent customer service before, during, and after your tour or activity that exceeded your customer’s expectations. Because of this, they might well upgrade to beloved loyal customers. Plus, when they are happy about the experience, it is almost sure they will tell the world about it, share photos on social media, and tag your brand. You won a brand ambassador that works for free by producing value with word-of-mouth marketing.

Travel Customer Journey Templates

You will always find different templates related to the customer journey with various steps and critical points. However, all of them are following roughly the same pattern. So check out our favorite ones! By breaking down your customer journey to different stages and learning how to communicate efficiently at every one of them, you can successfully provide an experience that feels personalized, and that will make your company stand out from the rest.

Six more insights travel customers expect from your business:

• To know them: People today expect you to understand what they have in their minds. Inspire them: Tell them about the endless possibilities of travel and technology. Light this fire inside them that wants to explore the world and lead the way.
• Connect them : Travelers are always looking for relevant and quality content. You must provide this opportunity for them.
• “Human Talk”: They want someone to talk to them throughout their journey and guide their experience continuously. But, you won’t see better results if you sound like a robot. Make it human!
• Entertain them : Can you bring the magic that they miss in their everyday lives? This “wow” moment can make them smile! And, if you can make them smile, you can make them buy.
• Care for them : Keep the travelers safe and secure. Support them throughout the trip. A warm sense of protection is essential for a traveler.

The customer journey map is just a map

After the map, you must take action. Make yourself visible! How else will people book your tours? The customer’s experience today is walking hand in hand with technology. People can’t wait anymore for a page to load or for businesses that are not well adapted to the technological changes. Your consumer experience should include actions like the transition from a laptop to mobile and everything in between. Moreover, it is pretty hard to stay in the game without promoting your brand on social media with inspiring photographs and SEO-optimized content. You should dedicate energy and money for optimizing:

• Website appearance and speed
• Email gathering
• Search engine optimization (SEO)
• Content marketing

Avoid mistakes such as not displaying prices next to your tours and activities or lacking visible buttons. Thankfully, with the existing tools and solutions like Kleesto for your company, it is easy to upgrade your marketing efforts without having to spend all your money on a well-functioning website. Instead, upgrade and automate your travel business so you can reach your full potential.

Evaluate your actions

Meg Elzea, Global Travel Industry Manager at Google, when asked about the journey of the travel customer, revealed three questions they ask themselves to evaluate their efforts: Am I offering an incredible experience? Is my Marketing relevant? Do I measure the right things? Remember what you eventually want to increase. For example, do you want to increase the speed of lead conversion? The probability of lead conversion? The perception of value in your offers?

Did you find this article informative? Do you have any questions about the customer’s journey? We are here to help you become the tour operator of your dreams. Sign up for our 21-day FREE trial!

Share it on

Subscribe to Boost your Digital Growth

Follow our Newsletter and get valuable guides and insights weekly.

For direct inquiries that need personalized assistance.

Join us for a 21-Day exploration of kleesto

Don’t worry, Kleesto is here to help. Start a free Trial Demo.

Don't just leave empty handed!

Download our Ultimate Business Guide to boost your digital presence

Learn how to Get More Bookings , Save Time and Increase your Booking Revenue!

Book Intro Call

Travel customer journey: Making data-driven decisions

Updated May 15, 2024 • 17 min read

In this article

What is a travel customer journey?

Why it’s important to understand the customer journey, travel customer journey stages, what is a travel customer journey map, benefits of customer journey mapping, how to map the travel customer journey, what software should i use to optimize a guest's journey.

The travel industry is changing. Nowadays, perfecting the customer journey means taking a data-driven approach instead of a service-driven view , and gathering valuable information on customers’ behaviors and preferences to inform decision-making.

With so much data at our fingertips, travel businesses are expected to craft seamless, personalized experiences for each customer, so don’t fall behind. You need to know how to gather, analyze, and utilize this data at every step of the travel customer journey.

Making use of data at every customer touchpoint enables you to personalize services, optimize operations, and improve overall customer satisfaction. Let's take a look at what a typical customer journey consists of and how you can use data to enhance each stage.

The travel customer journey is the entire experience a traveler goes through , from the moment they first think about taking a trip to when they return home with new, unforgettable memories. It covers all the emotions, decisions, and activities involved in their travel.

The idea of a customer journey views traveling as a continuous process that starts with inspiration and doesn't just end when the trip does, but continues as travelers share their stories, possibly inspiring others on their own journeys. Thinking of a trip in stages like this offers a useful way of reviewing and enhancing the overall experience.

Understanding the travel customer journey and hotel guest journey is crucial because it provides valuable insights into travelers' preferences and behaviors. Mapping out the stages a traveler goes through can provide your business with a deeper understanding of their needs and expectations — and that enables you to tailor your products and services accordingly.

This, in return, ultimately enhances customer satisfaction — when you know how to appeal to your customers at every single moment they interact with your business, you can guarantee their satisfaction with your services and encourage them to come back for more.

Analyzing the customer journey can also help you identify pain points and areas for improvement, increasing your competitiveness in the travel industry.

Inspiration

In the inspiration stage, potential travelers find themselves consuming travel content from their social media feeds, magazines, travel documentaries, and other sources, and then deciding that they want to travel themselves. Recommendations from trusted friends, influential figures, and seasoned travelers also go a long way in sparking that initial idea.

As a travel company, your goal during this crucial stage is to help travelers visualize their future journey with the help of beautiful images and destination videos, showcasing all of the great aspects that lie ahead. How well you showcase the offer is often a deciding factor in whether they move to the next travel stage or not.

Consider tailoring your content to travelers' preferences based on their past interactions and interests. Implementing algorithms that analyze travel data and past bookings can help with suggesting destinations and activities that resonate with each customer's unique tastes.

SEO optimization for your travel portal will also be extremely helpful — the higher you can get your travel offer in search results, the more users will find it and interact with your business . And one more thing — utilizing the full potential of social media is absolutely necessary for getting noticed today. Think of how much attention you can get from younger travelers with one well-timed TikTok video, or an Instagram post that hooks onto a current trend.

Want to turn potential travelers into paying customers?

Our industry experts will help you shine.

The planning stage is the moment travelers transition from inspiration to concrete decision-making regarding their future journey. This is when they try to find as much relevant travel information as they can and explore their options, from flights to accommodation, considering costs, comfort, and other logistics.

During this research phase, travelers often turn to tourism operators, their local destination marketing organization, and trusted websites as information sources. They’ll often rely heavily on travel guides, online reviews from review sites, and direct contact with travel agents who can create a well-organized itinerary.

Introducing a user-friendly interface to your website and developing an intuitive mobile travel app will allow potential customers to effortlessly research, compare, and organize their itineraries in one centralized platform, streamlining their whole experience.

At the same time, integrating real-time updates on travel advisories, weather forecasts, and local events will empower travelers to make informed decisions and adapt their plans accordingly.

Offering personalized recommendations and expert guidance through chatbots or dedicated travel advisors can also resolve any uncertainties and enhance customers' confidence.

The booking phase is all about the definitive moment when travelers commit to a specific choice and book their trip with the help of booking platforms, hotel websites, and online travel agencies. The booking process is generally a meticulous task, so travel companies should prioritize transparency and flexibility in their process.

One way to do that is to implement convenient booking flows and advanced search filters to help customers navigate the process with ease. Introducing multiple payment options with secure encryption protocols will also help.

Finally, incorporating loyalty rewards programs or exclusive perks for repeat bookings can incentivize customer retention, encourage repeat business, and foster long-term relationships.

This is the post-purchase stage, when final travel arrangements are made. Travelers pack their bags and check their travel documentation to prepare for the journey ahead. But even for the most organized travelers, this stage can be stressful and create some anxiety .

During the pre-trip stage, a travel company can significantly enhance the customer journey by providing comprehensive and tailored pre-departure resources. Think of a user-friendly platform or app where travelers can access all necessary information in one place, from destination guides and weather forecasts to packing lists and visa requirements.

Offering help through chatbots or dedicated customer service agents can address any queries or concerns, ensuring peace of mind for customers . Providing timely updates on travel advisories, safety protocols, and health guidelines also demonstrates your company's commitment to prioritizing the well-being of its travelers.

The in-trip stage is the travel experience itself, which makes it the most important phase of the journey. During this stage, leisure travelers arrive at their destination, visit local tourist attractions, and enjoy various amenities and services.

To enhance this part of the customer journey, you can implement various tech solutions. With mobile apps or in-room tablets travelers can access lots of useful information ranging from restaurant recommendations to real-time translations of local languages, facilitating effortless communication with locals.

When it comes to non-tech solutions, simply encouraging staff to engage in meaningful interactions, share local insights, and anticipate guest needs can also transform a simple stay into an unforgettable experience.

The post-trip stage is the conclusion of the trip, when travelers return back home and reflect on their experiences . This is a prime opportunity for you to make sure that your business is remembered fondly, and comes up in customers’ memories as soon as they decide to travel again.

Offering exclusive deals and personalized promotions for future bookings can be particularly effective to enhance the post-trip experience and boost customer loyalty . These tailored offers not only inspire travelers to plan their next journey but also deepen their connection with your brand.

The post-trip stage is also a good opportunity for you to collect feedback to improve your services. Travelers like to be heard, and if they see that their feedback actually has an impact, they’ll get a strong positive impression of your business.

Try and foster a sense of community among past travelers — something even more important now, in the post-COVID era. Creating dedicated online forums or social media groups to find insights, exchange positive and negative reviews, and share customers' experiences creates a supportive and inspiring network of travelers, encouraging them to book their next vacation and try out new routes, destinations, and accommodation.

Need help fine-tuning your travel customer journey?

Reach out to us and get our expertise today.

A travel customer journey map is a framework used by businesses in the travel industry to understand the entire experience of their customers, from the initial idea of traveling to the end of their trip. It is a visual representation that outlines the various stages a traveler goes through and their interactions with the travel provider at each stage .

This map typically includes all of the stages we have mentioned and highlights touchpoints where travelers interact with a business, like websites, social media, customer service, booking platforms, and physical locations like airports or hotels.

The purpose of a travel customer journey map is to help tourism businesses understand the needs, preferences, and emotions of travelers at each separate stage . By identifying these aspects, you can pinpoint opportunities for improvement in the customer experience.

Enhanced customer experience

Customer journey mapping helps you to delve deep into the experiences and challenges customers face while interacting with your services. Analyzing each step allows you to pinpoint specific difficulties customers encounter , like confusing navigation on a website or lengthy wait times for service.

Addressing these issues not only smoothes out the customer's experience but also enhances overall satisfaction. Happy customers are more likely to develop a lasting loyalty to your brand.

Personalized marketing

Customer journey mapping provides invaluable insights into the behaviors and preferences of your customers at various stages of their interaction with your brand. This allows you to craft marketing messages that will truly resonate at critical decision points.

For example, if a customer feels unsure during the booking stage, you can provide timely and relevant offers or reassurances to encourage a purchase decision. This not only increases the chances of conversions but also enhances the overall customer engagement.

Improved services

Customer journey mapping can uncover rich data about how travelers interact with your offerings and what their preferences might be at different stages, which is crucial for developing new products or refining existing services that more closely align with customer expectations.

This can enable you to offer superior value that attracts new audiences while retaining existing customers, ultimately expanding your reach in the tourism industry.

Optimized sales funnel

Customer journey mapping provides you with a blueprint for refining your sales process. By identifying where potential customers lose interest or have difficulties, you can make targeted improvements that simplify and enhance the process for them.

Removing tiresome checkout procedures or unclear product information can dramatically improve the user experience, increasing the number of complete sales. This not only boosts your efficiency but also contributes significantly to overall revenue growth.

Better allocation of resources

Customer journey mapping enables you to see more clearly which aspects of your operations impact customer satisfaction the most. Whether it is human capital, financial investment, or time, you can allocate resources to areas with the greatest return in terms of customer experience and satisfaction .

Effective resource allocation is crucial for maximizing your operational efficiencies and improving profitability.

Increased customer retention

Providing a seamless and tailored experience across all touchpoints of the customer journey fosters strong and positive relationships with your brand. When customers feel understood and valued from the very first interaction, they are more likely to become repeat buyers .

Increased customer loyalty not only secures a stable revenue stream through repeat bookings but also enhances your reputation, which is invaluable in attracting new customers.

Competitive advantage

Understanding and managing the customer journey maps can distinguish you from your competitors. When you offer uniquely appealing experiences and innovations that resonate with travelers, you set your brand apart .

This can attract a larger customer base, helping you to increase your target market share and establish a strong presence in the travel and tourism industry. All of this is critical for any tourism organization to enjoy long-term success and sustainability.

Streamlined internal processes

By understanding the customer journey, you can boost productivity and promote better collaboration between departments within your travel company .

When marketing, sales, customer service, and IT teams understand their roles in the customer's journey, they can work more effectively to create a unified and efficient experience. This synergy not only improves service delivery but also boosts employee morale.

When each team can see how their daily work fits into the bigger picture, you’ll foster a more proactive and collaborative environment and encourage innovation, with teams more likely to share insights and ideas when they can see the impact on customers.

Improved crisis management

With a detailed journey map, you can better anticipate potential issues in services and implement more effective crisis management strategies . This readiness can minimize negative impacts on the guest experience during unexpected events.

Quicker adjustments to operational plans ensure that travelers’ needs are addressed promptly, while timely communication with customers goes a long way in maintaining trust and satisfaction in unexpected circumstances.

Define your customer personas

The first step in journey mapping is identifying your target audience and creating customer personas — simple profiles of your customer groups, categorized broadly by demographics, preferences, motivations, and behaviors related to travel .

This comprehensive understanding forms the foundation for crafting personalized experiences that resonate with your target audience.

Identify key stages

The next stage of journey mapping is defining the key stages of the travel journey, from initial inspiration and research to travel moments and post-trip reflection.

Don’t forget all of the micro moments of the travel experience itself, and the reflections after it. Each stage of the traveler journey presents unique opportunities for engagement and influence that you should note .

Identify touchpoints

After defining the key stages through journey mapping, it's time to identify the touchpoints for each stage, at which customers interact with your company.

These touchpoints can be physical, like a travel agency or airport, or digital, like your website or social media. Understanding where these interactions occur is crucial for optimizing a customer's experience .

Map out customer actions and emotions

For each touchpoint, map out the actions customers take and the emotions they might experience in the process. You want to understand what drives their decisions at each stage and how they feel during interactions with your brand or other touchpoints.

This journey mapping approach helps you tailor your offerings and communications to meet their needs and preferences.

Identify pain points and opportunities

The next step is to analyze the customer journey map to locate pain points — areas where customers may encounter difficulties or frustrations . This could include long wait times at airports, confusing booking processes, or unexpected travel disruptions.

As a travel provider, you should look for opportunities to enhance the traveler experience and provide value at each stage, like offering personalized recommendations or exclusive perks.

Prioritize improvements

Based on the insights gained from the customer journey mapping exercise, prioritize improvements and initiatives to address pain points and capitalize on opportunities .

This could involve optimizing digital channels, enhancing customer service delivery, streamlining booking processes, or investing in innovative technologies like augmented reality for exceptional experiences.

Need a software upgrade for your travel company?

We are a team of industry experts who deliver innovative travel solutions.

Iterate and update

The customer journey map should be an up-to-date and dynamic tool that reflects current customer behaviors, tourism industry trends, and your business objectives.

Regularly review and update the journey map to ensure it remains relevant and effective in guiding your customer experience strategy. You should also gather regular feedback from customers to continuously refine and optimize their journey.

CRM software is designed to manage interactions with current and potential customers, so it plays a crucial role in improving the customer journey.

With features for tracking customer interactions, storing customer data, and analyzing customer behavior, CRMs prove valuable in understanding the customer journey, since they provide insights into touchpoints across various channels . This type of software is specifically tailored to handle interactions with both current and potential customers.

CRM also allows you to deliver personalized experiences to customers based on individual data, making it an indispensable tool for enhancing customer engagement and retention strategies.

Marketing automation software

Tourism marketing automation software helps travel businesses automate repetitive tasks and workflows, so you can focus more on strategic decision-making than mundane activities.

This software can also include features for email marketing, lead management, and campaign tracking, making it a great tool for pre- and post-trip interactions. It can be used to track customer interactions and engagement at different stages of the customer journey, giving you precise data on how customers respond to different marketing strategies and touchpoints, ensuring that you always deliver the right message at the right time.

Analytics and reporting software

Analytics and reporting software provides tools for analyzing data and generating insights into customer behavior, which is invaluable for locating pain points and understanding and interpreting other aspects of a traveler's journey.

These tools offer insights that extend beyond basic interactions, enabling you to see how customers engage with the brand from initial contact through various phases of the customer lifecycle. This helps you to optimize interactions and refine strategies accordingly.

Customer experience management software

CX management software focuses on managing and improving the overall customer experience, making it great for every stage of the journey . It includes tools for gathering customer feedback, measuring customer satisfaction, and identifying areas for improvement, especially when it comes to interacting with your website or mobile app.

These interactions are often the first and most frequent touchpoints for customers, making their optimization crucial for a positive customer experience.

CX management software helps in measuring customer satisfaction through various metrics and indicators, helping you understand how well your business meets or exceeds their expectations. By integrating feedback, satisfaction metrics, and interaction analysis, it not only helps in identifying and resolving pain points but also highlights opportunities to innovate and improve.

Customer journey mapping tools

Journey mapping tools are specifically designed to visualize and analyze the customer journey. They allow you to create visual representations of the customer journey, identify pain points and opportunities for improvement, and collaborate with team members to optimize the customer experience.

Journey mapping tools provide a platform for teams to come together, discuss, and strategize on how best to enhance each step of the customer journey , ensuring that every touchpoint delivers a seamless and satisfying customer experience.

Through comprehensive analysis and team engagement, journey mapping tools play a crucial role in developing a deeper understanding of the customer journey and the ways to improve it.

Multi-channel marketing platforms

Multi-channel marketing platforms enable you to engage with customers across various channels , like email, social media, and mobile. Platforms like these often include features for tracking customer interactions across different marketing channels and personalizing the customer experience based on individual preferences and behaviors.

This tracking is essential for understanding how customers move through different stages of their journey and how they respond to your digital marketing strategy.

Recognizing traveler preferences and finding ways to satisfy customers is especially important for travel businesses hoping to stand out in today’s competitive travel and tourism industry.

By looking at travel customer journeys, we can see that a customer’s experience is often complex, involving multiple touchpoints, emotions, and interactions. Each step, from inspiration to post-trip reflection, provides opportunities to enhance overall satisfaction .

Taking a data-driven approach and looking at customer journey maps is crucial — they provide a clear understanding of how to achieve the balance of excitement, personalization, and a satisfying experience for travelers.

Founder & CEO

Alex loves travel and tech and founded Zoftify to help travel companies use technology more effectively. Before this, he worked in tech consulting, where he led international mobile development teams.

Read other articles

A travel customer journey refers to the entire process from the moment a traveler starts planning their trip to the moment they return home. It covers all the stages of travel, including inspiration, research, booking, experiencing the trip, and reflecting on the experience afterwards.

What are the key stages of a travel customer journey?

The key stages of a typical customer journey typically include inspiration and research, the booking process, pre-trip preparation, the travel experience itself, and the reflection phase. The latter often involves sharing experiences on social media platforms and providing feedback to travel marketers and service providers, influencing others’ travel decisions.

How can travel businesses improve the overall customer journey experience?

Tourism businesses can improve the overall travel customer journey experience by providing personalized recommendations and offers, offering seamless booking and payment processes, providing excellent customer service and support, gathering and acting upon customer feedback, and fostering a sense of community and loyalty among travelers.

What Is the Customer Journey in the Travel Industry?

In the travel and tourism industry , it is important to understand the customer journey to help you craft exceptional experiences that lead to bookings, brand loyalty, and customer word-of-mouth marketing. But what exactly is the customer journey in the travel industry, and how does it affect the customer experience? boostCX is a premier customer experience management platform with experience in the travel industry and we recognize the importance of mapping out the traveler’s path and providing innovative solutions to help businesses create unforgettable experiences at each touchpoint.

What Are the 5 Stages of the Customer Journey in the Travel Industry?

The travel industry customer journey is a multi-faceted roadmap encompassing five key customer touchpoints — inspiration is where wanderlust is sparked, planning is where research and comparisons occur, booking is the crucial decision-making moment where the dream trip becomes a reality, experience is the actual trip itself including flights, hotels and more, and remembering is where memories are shared and influence future travel choices.

Here is a closer look at each of the stages in the travel industry customer journey.

1. Inspiration

At this stage — stunning visuals, captivating stories, and personalized recommendations on social media or travel websites can spark wanderlust and inspire travelers to consider new destinations. Travel industry businesses can affect this stage of the customer journey with vibrant audio and video ads on social media and other platforms that put a focus on key demographics for your business.

2. Planning

Providing comprehensive destination guides, interactive maps, and user-generated content helps travelers gather information and plan their itineraries effectively. How and where you engage with potential customers at this stage can have a real impact on your success. More and more travelers are planning and booking vacations on mobile devices and 88% of travelers will not use your site if the user experience and features do not meet their expectations.

How easy is it to book a vacation or a flight on your website or with your company? A seamless and user-friendly booking platform with clear pricing, flexible payment options, and reassuring customer support can instill confidence and encourage conversions. Innovative call-to-action options and auto-fill forms are just a couple of examples of how you can improve the customer experience at this stage of the customer journey.

4. Experience

When you exceed expectations during the trip with exceptional service, personalized touches, and unique experiences, you create lasting memories and build loyalty to your business. Travel-related businesses can create personalized travel experiences and itineraries for customers and create travel guides for specific destinations that highlight local attractions that may lie off the beaten path to deliver a memorable experience.

5. Remembering

The final stage of the traveler customer journey is remembering. Encouraging travelers to share their experiences through reviews, social media posts, and referrals can generate valuable user-generated content and attract new customers. This also provides an avenue for you to re-engage with customers and create a more lasting relationship.

In the travel industry, it is important to create exceptional experiences that leave a lasting impression with your customers. By crafting a memorable customer experience at each stage of the customer journey in the travel industry, businesses can build stronger customer relationships, foster loyalty, and stand apart from competitors. boostCX empowers travel companies to map out their customers’ journeys, gather valuable feedback, and create personalized experiences that promise to delight travelers at every touchpoint.

Related blogs

Keep learning with some more of our most popular blogs.

How To Create a Customer Journey Map

Have you ever wondered what your customer experiences from the moment they discover your brand to the point of purchase and beyond? Visualizing the customer journey is key to understanding their needs and crafting a more memorable experience. A customer journey map acts as a roadmap and guide, revealing the key touchpoints, interactions, and emotions that customers encounter when they interact with your business.

boostCX is a leading provider of customer experience solutions and we understand the value of a customer journey map. We hope this overview will give you the tools and insight you need to learn how to create a customer journey map that will help you gain valuable insight into the customer experience, identify areas for improvement, and design a customer journey that builds loyalty and drives business growth.

Step-By-Step Guide to Mapping the Customer Journey

Understanding the customer journey is like putting together a puzzle — once you have all the pieces in the right places, the whole picture comes into view. Mapping the customer journey for your business is a step-by-step process that unlocks valuable insights about your customers and their experiences with your business.

• Define Your Objectives – The first step is to define the purpose of the customer roadmap. What are you hoping to learn about your customers and your business? Are you looking for specific pain points in the customer journey?
• Define the Customer Persona – Who are you trying to reach? Determine the audience you hope to reach — customer demographics, goals, and pain points. This process can help you predict customer behavior.
• Identify Customer Touchpoints – When you create a customer roadmap, it is important to take into account every touchpoint a customer may have with your business, online or in person. Touchpoints include online discovery, social media engagement, and post-purchase services. Where do you need to put more emphasis for your company?
• Map Emotional Touchpoints – This step in the process is more about the how than the what. When you understand when and where customers interact with your business, it is important to map out how they feel about each touchpoint. Are they happy with their experience? Are they frustrated?
• Do Your Research and Collect Data – This may be one of the most crucial steps of the process. The more information you have on the customer experience, the more accurate your analysis will be. Collect customer data that includes feedback, online analytics, sales data, customer service notes, and more via a variety of platforms that provide a comprehensive view of the customer experience. Analyze that data to better understand the customer journey.
• Take the Customer Journey – The best way to truly understand your customers is to take the same customer journey. Walk through the process step by step, taking into account the customer feedback you have collected, and using the tools at your disposal to improve each customer touchpoint.
• Analyze and Update – The customer journey is always evolving and changing, making it important that you continue to analyze and update your customer journey map to ensure that you are always delivering a memorable customer experience.

What Data Do You Need to Map the Customer Journey?

Mapping the customer journey requires two data sets — customer feedback and unsolicited customer data. Customer feedback may be gathered through surveys, social media comments, and even support interactions, and has the potential to reveal customer perceptions, needs, and pain points within the customer journey. boostCX provides businesses with a wide array of innovative solutions that can help you collect customer feedback on a variety of platforms. Unsolicited customer data is the hard metrics your business already collects and does not require customer feedback. Examples of unsolicited customer data include purchase history, website analytics, and even abandoned cart rates that combine to paint a picture of customer behavior. A combined analysis of these data sets can help identify hidden patterns and areas to optimize on your customer roadmap.

Why Should You Map the Customer Journey?

Did you know an estimated 80% of customers believe the customer experience is just as important as the products or services they purchase? This highlights the critical role of crafting a  memorable customer journey, one that fosters loyalty and drives business growth. Mapping your customer journey acts as a roadmap, revealing the touchpoints, interactions, and emotions customers experience as they interact with your business. This visual representation of the customer experience allows you to gain additional insight into each step of the process, identify potential pain points, and make the changes you need to drive success.

Unlocking the secrets of the customer journey isn’t just about creating a flowchart — it’s about understanding the key to business success. Creating a customer journey map provides a roadmap to understanding your audience, identifies opportunities for improvement, and ultimately designs experiences that resonate with your customers.

Ready to transform your customer experience? Contact boostCX today and learn more about how to create a customer journey map with our innovative customer experience solutions!

Top 5 Benefits of Creating a Great Customer Experience

In a competitive economic landscape your customer experience can make your business stand out from the competition. Companies that make customer satisfaction and loyalty a priority can discover hidden value and drive future success. With a strategic approach and the right customer experience management tools, businesses can improve customer experiences at every touchpoint to build a loyal customer base, drive growth, and build lasting relationships. boostCX is a leading customer experience management provider and we want to help you succeed with our list of the Top 5 Benefits of Creating a Great Customer Experience.

How Does a Great Customer Experience Benefit Your Business?

Are you working to improve the customer experience at your business? You may now know about all the ways that a great customer experience can set the tone for future business and benefit your company and your bottom line. An exceptional customer experience sets the foundation for business success.

By delivering memorable interactions at every touchpoint on the customer journey roadmap , businesses can promote brand loyalty, drive revenue, and build a strong brand identity . Happy customers are far more likely to become repeat customers and recommend your brand to their friends and family, leading to increased market share. In addition — a positive customer experience can improve employee morale and productivity, as satisfied customers create a more positive work environment and improve the employee experience.

1. Increased Customer Loyalty and Retention

Customer experience management is an essential tool for many businesses and leads to increased customer loyalty and higher retention. A consistent and exceptional customer experience leaves a lasting impression on customers and can foster stronger relationships. Loyal customers are more likely to make repeat purchases, become brand advocates, and provide valuable feedback down the road — driving long-term growth. Data indicates that a small increase of 5% to customer retention leads to a 25% to 95% increase in profits.

2. Creates Brand Advocates and Word-of-Mouth Marketing

A great customer experience creates brand advocates who drive word-of-mouth marketing. Satisfied customers who have a positive experience are more likely to share their experiences with friends and family, leading to increased brand awareness and new customers. In fact — an estimated 50% of customers who have a positive experience with a business are likely to share that interaction with friends or family and 72% are likely to share that positive experience with six or more people.

3. Higher Customer Lifetime Value

A superior customer experience is directly linked to increased customer lifetime value and an estimated 76% of companies consider customer lifetime value to be an important measurement of success. By delivering exceptional experiences time after time and building strong relationships with customers, businesses can encourage repeat purchases, upselling, and cross-selling opportunities. Important data has shown that it may cost businesses 5 – 25 times more to acquire a new customer than to retain a current customer — an important factor in lifetime value metrics.

4. Improved Customer Engagement

A great customer experience fosters deeper engagement and interaction with your customers. When customers feel valued and understood, they are more likely to actively participate in brand conversations, share feedback, and explore additional offers or services. This increased engagement leads to stronger relationships and an exceptional customer experience, and studies have shown that an estimated 86% of customers are willing to pay more for products or services if it involves a better experience.

5. Better Customer Churn Rates

A superior customer experience leads to customer loyalty and translates to reduced customer churn rates . When customers feel valued and enjoy a great customer experience, they are more likely to remain loyal to your brand and make additional and repeat purchases. Improved engagement builds stronger customer-business relationships and addresses customer needs effectively, which can significantly reduce customer attrition and protect your customer base.

Investing in creating a great customer experience has become imperative to business success and by prioritizing customer satisfaction and loyalty, businesses can unlock untold benefits. Learn more with our list of the Top 5 Benefits of Creating a Great Customer Experience and accelerate success for your company.